Witch Doctor (Magus Alternative)
Messengers of Dark Curses, whom spread their bad luck and unhappiness everywhere they go. Witch Doctors are Worshippers of Dolvalky, the Deity of Despair, Their standards of good or bad vary greatly as they believe their mission in life is to control the luck of everyone in the galaxy. Role: Witch Doctors spend much of their time traveling the world, learning whatever martial or arcane secrets they can find. They might spend months learning a new sword-fighting style from a master warrior, while simultaneously moonlighting in the local library, poring through tomes of ancient lore. Most who take this path dabble in all sorts of lore, picking up anything that might aid them in their search for perfection. Alignment: Any. Hit Die: d8 Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 hl (average 140 hl) Class skills The Witch Doctor’s class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Martial Knowledge (Blades, Light) (Int), Martial Knowledge (Bows) (Int), Martial Knowledge (Spears/Polearms) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Use Witch Doctorsc Device (Cha). Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier. Table: Witch Doctor Class Features The following are the class features of the Witch Doctor. Starting Evilty: Cursed Dance A number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier, as a standard action, The Witch Doctor can make a perform check, DC: 15 to force enemies within 50 feet take a -1 penalty to every dice roll they make for a number of rounds equal to your level. Enemies gain a Will Save with a DC equal to your perform check. This can stack up to 3 times from any 3 Cursed Dance Evilities. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Witch Doctor is proficient with Blades (Light), Bows, and Spears/Polearms. A Witch Doctor is also proficient with light armor. He can cast Witch Doctor spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a Witch Doctor wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass Witch Doctor still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes. Martial Techniques A Witch Doctor gains a number of martial techniques he can utilize in battle. A witch doctor can qualify for bonus martial techniques from a high charisma score in the same way a Sorcerer can with spells. Unlike with spells, technique saving throws depend on the type of weapon wielded. Very few classes gain martial techniques for free, they must train to learn how to utilize the techniques. However this also means there is truly no limit to the number of martial techniques one can learn. Martial Techniques need not be prepared beforehand, they can be performed so long as you have uses left in the day. Learning martial techniques is described in the Skills Section of this system. Spells A Witch Doctor casts arcane spells drawn from the Witch Doctor spell list. A Witch Doctor must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the Witch Doctor must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Witch Doctor’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Witch Doctor’s Charisma modifier. A Witch Doctor can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Witch Doctor. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. A Witch Doctor may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the Witch Doctor decides which spells to prepare. Cantrips: A Witch Doctor can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Witch Doctor under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again. Spellbooks: A Witch Doctor must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook except for read Witch Doctorsc, which all Witch Doctors can prepare from memory. A Witch Doctor begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level Witch Doctor spells plus three 1st-level Witch Doctor spells of his choice. The Witch Doctor also selects a number of additional 1st-level Witch Doctor spells equal to his Charisma modifier to add to his spellbook. At each new Witch Doctor level, he gains two new Witch Doctor spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new Witch Doctor level) for his spellbook. At any time, a Witch Doctor can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own. A Witch Doctor can learn spells from a wizard’s spellbook, just as a wizard can from a Witch Doctor’s spellbook. The spells learned must be on the Witch Doctor spell list, as normal. An alchemist can learn formulae from a Witch Doctor’s spellbook, if the spells are also on the alchemist spell list. A Witch Doctor cannot learn spells from an alchemist. Arcane Pool (Su) At 1st level, the Witch Doctor gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his weapon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/2 his Witch Doctor level (minimum 1) + his Charisma modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the Witch Doctor prepares his spells. At 1st level, a Witch Doctor can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves. At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, Frost, Icy burst, Vicious, Ghost Touch, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not Witch Doctorscal, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the Witch Doctor uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the Witch Doctor. A Witch Doctor can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends. Spell Combat (Ex) At 1st level, a Witch Doctor learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the Witch Doctor must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the Witch Doctor spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. A Witch Doctor can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks. Spellstrike (Su) At 2nd level, whenever a Witch Doctor casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the Witch Doctor spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a Witch Doctor can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the Witch Doctor makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier. Hex Arcana As he gains levels, a Witch Doctor learns arcane secrets tailored to his specific way of blending martial puissance and Witch Doctoral skill. Starting at 3rd level, a Witch Doctor gains one Witch Doctor arcana. He gains an additional Witch Doctor arcana for every three levels of Witch Doctor attained after 3rd level. Unless specifically noted in a Witch Doctor arcana’s description, a Witch Doctor cannot select a particular Witch Doctor arcana more than once. Witch Doctor arcana that affect spells can only be used to modify spells from the Witch Doctor spell list unless otherwise noted. A Witch doctor gains access to the following Magus arcana, or may select any witch hex in place of a Magus arcana. At 12th level, the Witch Doctor may select a hex or major hex in place of a Magus arcana. At 20th level, a Witch Doctor can select a hex, major hex, or grand hex in place of a Magus arcana. He cannot select any hex or arcana more than once, even if the ability would usually allow it. Accursed Strike (Sp): A Witch Doctor who can cast bestow curse, greater curse, or any spell with the curse descriptor can deliver these prepared spells using the spellstrike ability, even if the spells are not touch attack spells. (Editor's Note: A complete list of Witch Doctor arcana can be found here: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/magus-arcana) Hex Doctor (Su) At 4th level, the Witch Doctor gains access to a small number of witch’s hexes. The Witch Doctor picks one hex from the witch’s hex class feature. He gains the benefit of or uses that hex as if he were a witch of a level equal to his Witch Doctor level. Bonus Feats At 5th level, and every six levels thereafter, a Witch Doctor gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat, item creation, or metaWitch Doctorsc feats. He must meet the prerequisites for these feats as normal. Knowledge Pool (Su) At 7th level, when a Witch Doctor prepares his Witch Doctor spells, he can decide to expend 1 or more points from his arcane pool, up to his Intelligence bonus. For each point he expends, he can treat any one spell from the Witch Doctor spell list as if it were in his spellbook and can prepare that spell as normal that day. If he does not cast spells prepared in this way before the next time he prepares spells, he loses those spells. He can also cast spells added in this way using his spell recall ability, but only until he prepares spells again. Medium Armor (Ex) At 7th level, a Witch Doctor gains proficiency with medium armor. A Witch Doctor can cast Witch Doctor spells while wearing medium armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a Witch Doctor wearing heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. Improved Spell Combat (Ex) At 8th level, the Witch Doctor’s ability to cast spells and make melee attacks improves. When using the spell combat ability, the Witch Doctor receives a +2 circumstance bonus on concentration checks, in addition to any bonus granted by taking an additional penalty on the attack roll. Fighter Training (Ex) Starting at 10th level, a Witch Doctor counts 1/2 his total Witch Doctor level as his fighter level for the purpose of qualifying for feats. If he has levels in fighter, these levels stack. Black Curse of Dolvalky (Ex) At 13th level, a Witch Doctor gains a powerful curse that stands out amongst all others. You can spend 2 points of your arcane pool as a swift action to raise the saving throw DC of any spell with the curse descriptor by +4. In addition. Once per day you can cause all 3 of the base effects of a bestow curse to activate upon a single casting of the spell. This however increases it’s casting time to a full round action. Using the spell in this way you cannot bring an opponent’s ability score below 1. Greater Spell Combat (Ex) At 14th level, the Witch Doctor gains the ability to seamlessly cast spells and make melee attacks. Whenever he uses the spell combat ability, his concentration check bonus equals double the amount of the attack penalty taken. Counterstrike (Ex) At 16th level, whenever an enemy within reach of the Witch Doctor successfully casts a spell defensively, that enemy provokes an attack of opportunity from the Witch Doctor after the spell is complete. This attack of opportunity cannot disrupt the spell. Greater Spell Access (Su) At 19th level, the Witch Doctor gains access to an expanded spell list. He learns and places 14 spells from the wizard’s spell list into his spellbook as Witch Doctor spells of their wizard level. He gains two of each of the following wizard spells not on the Witch Doctor spell list: 0-level, 1st-level, 2nd-level, 3rd-level, 4th-level, 5th-level, and 6th-level. He can ignore the somatic component of these spells, casting them without the normal chance of spell failure. True Witch Doctor (Su) At 20th level, the Witch Doctor becomes a master of spells and combat. Whenever he uses his spell combat ability, he does not need to make a concentration check to cast the spell defensively. Whenever the Witch Doctor uses spell combat and his spell targets the same creature as his melee attacks, he can choose to either increase the DC to resist the spell by +2, grant himself a +2 circumstance bonus on any checks made to overcome spell resistance, or grant himself a +2 circumstance bonus on all attack rolls made against the target during his turn. Witch Doctor Spells: A list of Witch Doctor Spells are located here under (Magus, In addition, all spells with the Curse descriptor are added to the Witch Doctor's Spell list. http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/ultimateMagicSpellLists.html Reincarnation If Reincarnating into this class after having already been this class, or a class with similar abilities, check the following page to see what ability you'll get instead at the levels you would normally gain an already achieved class ability. Witch Doctor Reincarnation